This Friday, the men's basketball team will be out to prove that the third time really is a charm.
After losses in the regular season and NESCAC title game, the Jumbos will get their final crack at the Amherst Lord Jeffs. This time, the stakes are even higher, as a spot in the NCAA quarterfinals is on the line.
Tufts earned its way to the Sweet 16 game with a thrilling 68-65 victory over SUNY Cortland last Saturday.
Amherst is one of the hottest teams in the nation. The Jeffs are riding a 16-game win streak that started on Jan. 17. Meanwhile, Tufts has almost as impressive a run, having won 12 of its last 14 games dating back to Jan. 21. The two losses during that stretch came against none other than the Jeffs themselves.
The regular-season meeting between the two teams was in the season's final weekend, with the No. 1 playoff seed at stake and tensions running high. Amherst dominated on its home court, trouncing the Jumbos, 99-70.
On Feb. 26, Tufts once again traveled to Amherst, this time in search of its first NESCAC tournament title. Playing like a completely transformed team from the one which the Lord Jeffs had trounced just two weeks before, the Jumbos were one sunk NBA-length three-pointer from the crown, eventually falling in overtime, 94-86.
Past failures, however, won't matter to coach Bob Sheldon and the Jumbos, as they know a win against Amherst will give them a ticket to the Elite Eight.
"We're ready for this game," Sheldon said. "The first game of the season [against Amherst] we weren't ready and that showed. However, the second time, we went to overtime and one shot could have decided the game, so I definitely think we are ready for this game."
The Jumbos will have to be at their best to combat the near-flawless game of the NESCAC champions. Coming off the luxury of a first-round bye, the Lord Jeffs crushed Hamilton 83-59 in the second round.
Defense is the Jumbos' first priority against Amherst's high-powered offense, which led the conference in scoring (84.7 ppg). The Jeffs are anchored by two dangerous offensive threats in senior guard and First Team All-NESCAC selection John Bedford (17.2 points per game) and junior forward Dan Wheeler (13.9), a Second Team All-NESCAC selection.
"When we prepare, we talk about how to shut down a team as a whole and how to stop their individual strengths," Sheldon said. "Obviously we need to pay attention to Bedford and Wheeler, but we know we aren't going to hold these guys scoreless."
"However, disrupting their rhythm and offense is something we are going to do. [Assistant] coach John Walsh and I have been scheming all week on ways to stop them on the low block, so I feel like defensively we are set."
Sheldon and his staff realize that the team's success will fall heavily on the shoulders of sophomore Ryan O'Keefe's, who has been assigned to guard Bedford. While this is no easy task, O'Keefe's teammates are
confident.
"We definitely have the ability to stop this team," said senior tri-captain Dan Martin. "[O'Keefe] is our most athletic defender and he definitely has the ability to stop Bedford."
Though defensive responsibilities loom large for Tufts, Sheldon also stresses the Jumbos' offense, which will have to execute well to exploit the few weaknesses of the Amherst squad.
"We can't turn over the ball a lot and we need to shoot the ball well," Sheldon said. "However, the most important thing is going to be playing our inside-out game with Dan Martin, Jake Weitzen, and Brian Fitzgerald."
The Tufts players acknowledge the fact that they have already lost to Amherst twice this season, but they remain confident.
"The first two losses definitely had an effect on us," Sheldon said. "But we are not afraid, and don't forget we are 12-2 over the second half of the season. The first game we got blown away, but we took them to overtime in the second one and because of that, they have that small inkling of a doubt."
Martin also expressed confidence in the team's chances for an upset.
"No one is giving us a chance really," the senior tri-captain said. "But we are really confident and we know we can beat these guys. They've beaten us twice so we definitely owe them one."
Going into the most important game of the season against the NESCAC champion and the fifth-ranked team in the country, Sheldon understands that the Jumbos cannot hold back.
"We're going to go out there with confidence," the coach said. "We got nothing to lose and everything to gain."
